+1 for Shalosh Nekudotayim

PeeaycHPee

Sunday, November 27. 2005

+1 for Shalosh Nekudotayim

If you don't read the PHP Internals mailing list, you've probably missed most of the recent discussion on namespaces.

Since you're reading this entry, there's a good chance you've read one of the other posts about the results of the 2005 PDM, though.

Of particular interest (especially given the recent Date class debacle) is the point on namespaces.

At the meeting, the core developers decided that "\" is a logical choice for the namespace operator as it is the only single non-alpha-numeric character on (US) keyboards that isn't yet an operator.

This has been met with some resistance.

For some reason, people don't seem to think that "\" is a good choice for the namespace operator. I'm not sure why this is... \ seems logical to me.

UPDATE: As you see, the title was changed from Shaloshayim Nekudotayim to Shalosh Nekudotayim. Check the comments--thanks Hebrew speakers.
Jessie Hernandez (the author of one of the existing namespace patches) originally proposed the use of ":" (as in "namespace:class::var").

This was rejected by the core developers because : is already an operator: it is used in the ternary operator. It would make things like the following break:
PHP:
<?php $foo = $bar?moo:oink:meow; ?>


So, if $bar is true, does $foo become moo:oink? or oink:meow? So, no good.

One solution is to enforce whitespace around the ternary colon:
PHP:
<?php $foo = $bar?moo:oink : meow; ?>


I hope this never makes it into PHP. Fortunately, Rasmus has already denied it.

So, there have been a number of other ideas. Most of them are simply impossible ("." ? Seriously... it's the concatenation operator!).

I have absolutely no problem with "\". Some people have argued that "\" looks too much like "/". This is simply bogus. The same people think that ":" vs ";" is OK, but it's essentially the same comparison.

Barring \ (for whatever reason), I would like to see ":::". Yes, it's a little longer than the other operators, but who really cares? It's ONE extra keypress (you've already got shift held down from the previous colon.) Even Ilia agrees.


Why ::: ? Well, it makes sense. :: resolves scope, ::: should resolve the scope's scope. Right?

So, what's with the title of this entry, you ask? I had to do a little research to come up with it, and it might be completely wrong as I don't speak/write Hebrew, but, since :: is called "Paamayim Nekudotayim" (or "double colon" in English), I propose "Shaloshayim Nekudotayim" which (hopefully) means "triple colon." Feel free to correct me (-:

S
Posted by Sean Coates in Community at 10:25 | Comments (3) | Trackbacks (0)

Trackbacks
Trackback specific URI for this entry

No Trackbacks

Comments
Display comments as (Linear | Threaded)

"Shalosh" really means 3 in Hebrew , but there's no such thing as "Shaloshayim" , because the "-ayim" suffix comes to suggest that it's doubled , therefore shaloshim would sound like 2 times 3 ( = 6 ).

So, "Shalosh Nekudotayim" sounds better.
#1 shlomil on 2005-11-27 06:34 (Reply)
"Pamayim" is like "twice" in english
you cant say "three-ice" :)
#2 Shimi on 2005-11-27 07:11 (Reply)
But you can say "thrice"...
#2.1 Richard Heyes (Homepage) on 2005-11-27 11:29 (Reply)

Add Comment

BBCode format allowed

To prevent automated Bots from commentspamming, please enter the string you see in the image below in the appropriate input box. Your comment will only be submitted if the strings match. Please ensure that your browser supports and accepts cookies, or your comment cannot be verified correctly.
CAPTCHA

You can use [geshi lang=lang_name [,ln={y|n}]][/lang] tags to embed source code snippets
 
 

Pay the bills...

Calendar

Back August '08
Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat Sun
        1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Quicksearch

Archives

August 2008
July 2008
June 2008
Recent...
Older...

Syndicate This Blog

My PERSONAL Blog

Note:
The contents of this blog are my own, PERSONAL opinion and do not represent the thoughts or opinions of the people I work with or for. If you have a beef with something I said, take it up with ME. Thanks (-:
Geo Visitors Map